Life unexpected
by samira403
Summary: A Sunday morning conversation..a little OC, a lot of rambling and Hermione is pregnant.


A year passed since the Battle of Hogwarts and in the blink of an eye, five more passed.

Everyone had begun to settle in their new normal. Even Hermione had; except her new life was unlike anything she had envisioned. Here she was, on a Sunday morning, drinking tea with Draco Malfoy after she had flooed, unannounced, to his Manor and desperately woken him up.

What could Hermione Granger be afraid of? She had been a key part in master-minding the victory of a war for crying out loud.

"Life and its uncertainties."

"No one can predict the future Granger."

"I know that. Trust me I never believed in any of that Divination crap anyway…"

"Hermione, what is the matter?"

"Well, I've thought about everything we fought about. I think that I may want to go out with you after all. I may also want to take the job at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It's just that I never thought I'd be thrown out into this world where all of my initial goals and plans were meaningless. My life has become a complete contradiction to those!"

"So, what? Is your life meaningless?"

"No of course not. I have friends and a family that has taken me in. The horrors of the war are slowly fading from my mind. But nothing seems enough."

"How about your work?"

"It does bring me peace and satisfaction to help others, and not just the elves now; but it only contents me."

"Do you still feel the same about what happened between you and the Weasley then? Could it be that you regret it now and that is making you restless?"

"Seriously Draco. You have seen so much of Ron and I this past couple of years. Does it look like anything romantic can happen between us?"

When she only received silence as a reply, she slammed the dainty china mug on the oak table and exclaimed, affronted.

"Of course, I do not regret it Malfoy! It was never right between Ron and I. Too different; in our ideas, visions, hopes and dreams. Ron has always been in a home filled with light and love; a large expressive family who lived simply and happily. I grew up with just my parents."

"So did I, Granger. Doesn't explain anything."

"Teaspoon range," she murmured exasperatedly.

"That is very insulting to my whole gender! Okay fine. I understand where you might be going. The love is rather different in each case. You held onto your parents because they became your small world. You don't project out in the rather boisterous Weasley manner but you nurture it in. Is that who you really are Granger?"

"It sounds selfish, doesn't it? And yet, I have always envisioned this kind of private love; that is silent but cherished in little moments of sacrifice, hope. A love that is so strong because the people who share it treasure each other more than their lives."

Is that what is eating away at you, love? Grief for your parents?"

Draco reached over and enveloped her small hands in his. In his mind, he heaved a sigh of relief. They may finally be reaching the heart of the matter. He had never seen her so agitated and struggling with her own self in their two years of courtship, which she still refused to acknowledge as such.

"Grief? No. I know that I will never be free of this grief. I do not deserve to be. I obliviated my parents before going to hunt the Horcrux. Malfoy, I couldn't get them back. What kind of daughter am I?"

"For the hundredth time, one who did her duty, Granger! The field wasn't levelled in favour of your parents. Look at Aunt Andromeda's husband; he died even though he was surrounded by the strongest witches and wizards. You gave your parents their best chance at life. Bollocks to heroism; that was pure love, Hermione."

She snatched her hands away to press again her eyes and hold in the tears of frustration.

"What d-do you-you know of-f it?"

"I took the dark mark to give my mum her best chance. I cursed, poisoned and tortured people to give my father his. Hermione, your version of love is not selfish. It is just different for those of us who had a little of it and knew never to take it for granted."

"Will you never take my love for granted then?"

"Hold on a minute! Who said anything about you loving me? Until yesterday, you did not even want to move in with me."

She stood up from her chair and fished a ring out of her jeans' pocket.

"Well I changed my mind. I'm pregnant, it's allowed. So, you better handle my hormonal moods as well as you did today. That is the first Malfoy heir I am carrying! Can you picture your mum's face when we tell her that we are getting married? That was as likely to happen as me becoming Minister," she continued cheerfully, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Come, I really want to sleep now."

She extended a hand out to him in invitation, making her way to the kitchen door.

"Let's stay in today, shall we?"


End file.
